Of course there's a new app that lets you take selfies with dead people

Something that the kids do, is selfies. It’s where you take a picture of yourself using your phone, sometimes with other people – it’s a fun thing the kids do. A fun thing the kids don’t do, is take selfies with dead people – at least, we don’t think they do? Is that a thing?

Oh, it seems that it is a thing. In South Korea, a strange tech person has decided to create the With Me smartphone app that allows you to take photos and video of yourself alongside a person who is no longer alive. Basically, while said person is alive, they need to visit a special scanning booth which creates a “realistic” 3D version of them. Then, when they die, you simply load up the app and there they are next to you – a computer generated avatar with eyes as dead as the ones on the real person.

You can then speak to that person, and it will reply in a terrifying robotic voice, saying things like “I love you” and “Why have you trapped my soul in this phone?” and “I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that.” The whole thing is extremely disconcerting.

It comes from a sweet place, we guess – people who have lost loved ones are able to (sort of) reconnect with them after their death, but it’s all very creepy. Which is probably why a lot of people have been comparing it to an episode of Black Mirror.

Essentially, this is for you if you really liked Pokémon Go, but wished all the Pokémon were dead.

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Gary Ogden

Shortlist writer and "the least woke person in the office", Gary Ogden, likes horror movies, Cheestrings, tapping his leg under the desk, "having a drink", hiding from responsibility, screaming into the mirror whenever he is alone, and assorted other things. Mainly the screaming thing though.
@garyblogden